AFNI'S POV.

Chapter XV

The sun broke thru the trees, and I turned my head. David was sleeping with his head against Christopher's shoulder, and I giggled. Standing up, I moved over, brushing dirt over the dieing embers to keep them from erupting. I heard a groan, and turned my head. Christopher was wiping dust out of his eyes.

"Watch where you're kicking that crap," he grumbled.

"Sorry…" He opened his eyes, and realized I was the one standing there. Pushing David off him, he stood, and smiled.

"Didn't know that was you." I smiled.

"Yeah. It's me."

"How do you feel?"

"A lot better…" He sat beside me, and leaned over, kissing me. I slid my hands over his shoulders, and smiled. As he pulled away, I looked into his eyes.

"Afni?" he asked.

"Yeah?" I asked, faintly. He smiled, and kissed my cheek.

"I'm glad you don't hate me." I laughed, and shook my head.

"Why would I hate you?"

"Cuz I'm a jackass, who probably doesn't deserve you…" I faintly heard David mumble, "You got that right," but ignored it, and touched his cheek.

"Your right. You are a jackass…But you've worked on it. I don't hate you. You called my brother…You let me know he was okay…When we get back, he can know I'm okay, too…" My voice trailed, and I heard the words in my head, as they should have come out: When you get back, you can tell him I'm okay, too… I closed my eyes, and shook my head.

"You alright?"

"Yeah…Yeah, I'm okay."

About an hour later, everyone was awake, and we were off again, towards the gate. We stood in a sort of circle, I looked at Janet.

"Janet?"

"Hm?" she asked, turning her head.

"You've been really quiet the past few days. Are you alright?" I asked. She just nodded. "You sure?"

"Yeah…I'm fine…Just…thinking." Afni nodded.

"About what?"

"You said that you feared for our lives, not yours, when Kiara was still out there…"

"Yeah…what about it?"

"Why would you fear for our lives? I mean…April and I badmouthed you…Christopher did too, at one point, but he stopped…At least once I know we all were against you for something…" I couldn't help but smile, and shake my head.

"I feared for your lives because none of you deserved to die. None of you did anything. Christopher, April, David, and Jalil have been together since they got here. You became their friend, you all got along. Same with my sister. All of you got along. I managed to get along with Jalil, with David, with Ciniya. But…Not April and Christopher…At least…not at first." I smiled up at him, and he kissed my forehead. "I feared for your lives because you all got along so well. You were all friends. I was just…the leader. The witch. The chick who knew how to get you to the gateway, but that you could've gotten there without because you don't need to have me here all the time. I saw something in you all that I couldn't put in myself. Some sort of energy that was a special bond of friendship I could never be part of…" She glanced at April, who wasn't looking at her. "I guess…I don't know. I was never one for letting someone suffer, even if I did hate them. And if one of you died, I knew the others would suffer…It wasn't something I could have on my conscience ." Janet nodded.

We continued walking, not saying much of anything. I couldn't help but see every time David glanced at me over his shoulder. He smiled at me, at one point, and I smiled back. Christopher never noticed, but he slid his arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer to him. I looked up. He smiled down at me, and then pressed his fingers against my arm.

"How's the cuts doin?" he asked. I shrugged.

"Alright, I guess. They don't hurt anymore…" He nodded, and stopped walking. "You okay?"

"Gotta piss…" He hurried into the trees, and I rolled my eyes. David stepped back.

"Hey."

"David, lemme ask you something."

"Shoot."

"Do you have something your not telling me?"

"About what?"

"Any reason, maybe, that you don't want me dating Christopher?" He sighed.

"Afni, I don't care anymore. I just want you to be happy, and he makes you happy…"

"Yeah, I know he does. But…David…You seem upset."

"I miss you sometimes, that's all…But I want you to follow your heart. It always told you what was right." I nodded.

"I know it did. It still does. And right now, it tells me I should stay with Christopher, but keep you at my side, because I know you'll always be there…" He smiled.

"And that is fine by me." She leaned over, kissing his cheek, and had just pulled away when Christopher walked back out, slipping his arm around her waist.

"Alright, let's go."

We walked a bit further, and finally, I paused, placing my hands against the trunk of a tree.

"Af?" I sighed, closing my eyes.

"Afni?" David asked.

"Hm?"

"What is it?" I pointed to a drawing in the dirt. The others walked around, looking down. It was of a window, and a woman pointing thru it.

"Afni, what is this?" Christopher asked. I smiled up at him, a fake smile, but it reassured him anyway.

"This…is the diagram that shows the gateway." He beamed.

"How much further?"

"Only a few hours…"

"Great!"

"However…" They looked at me.

"However what?" I glanced over at David, who looked back knowingly.

"I think it'd be best…if we finished the journey tomorrow. Fresh start. You guys can have a good day back home…"

"Afni?"

"Hm?"

"You just said 'you guys.' I think you meant all of us, including you…" I paused, and blushed.

"Sorry. I meant to say We can have a good day back home, starting early. Today…let's just sit here. Rest up. We can leave before dawn, and when…we get home tomorrow, it can be a full first day there…"

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Jalil said.

"Yeah," Ciniya added, looking at David and then me. I sighed, and dropped into the dirt beside the tree. Christopher sat beside me, wrapping his arms around me. Everyone spaced themselves out, and while the others talked, I just rested my head on Christopher's shoulder, eyes closed.

"Af?" he asked suddenly.

"Hm?"

"Are you my girlfriend?" he asked. I smiled, and kissed his shoulder.

"Yeah…Well…If you want me to be…"

"I do…"

"Then I am…" He smiled, and kissed me again.

I stared up at the sky, tears in my eyes.

"Afni?" I rolled my head, and David and Ciniya sat down beside me.

"Yeah?"

"You sure you want to go thru with this tomorrow? I mean, you know…not going home?" I nodded.

"Yeah. All I'd have at home is you two and Christopher, really…"

"What about mom and dad?" Ciniya asked.

"After the divorce…I never heard much from either one. I was actually on my way to see Dad when I came here…"

"Divorce?" she asked, confused. I looked at her, unsure.

"Yeah…" It suddenly hit me. "Oh! You were already here when they divorced…I forgot. Sorry. Yeah, they got a divorce about…A week after you left, I guess. I stayed with mom, but visited Dad on weekends. Not long after the divorce, David and I broke up…And then I was pretty much having an emotional breakdown on my way to Dad's, and crashed the car…and ended up here…" Ciniya nodded, and sighed.

"I'm going to miss you, Afni." I bit my lip.

"I'll miss you too…" I moved onto my knees, and hugged her tight. For a few minutes we didn't say anything. Finally, I pulled back, and sat down again, looking at David. "You promise me something David." He lifted his eyes.

"Anything."

"Take care of her." He nodded.

"Of course." I moved, and hugged him, as well. When I pulled back, I touched his cheek, and kissed him quickly.

"I'm going to miss you, also…"

"Ditto…" We had a group hug, sitting in silent darkness for a little while.